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Обыкновенная пара находит на обочине дороги холодильник, в котором скрывается нечто из иного мира. Обманутая женщина преследует по всей стране монстра, сама постепенно превращаясь во что-то кошмарное. У размолвки между супругами оказывается жуткая, сводящая с ума причина. Два друга заключают договор с древним колдуном, еще не подозревая, какие тайны скрывают старинные легенды. Путник, бегущий от собственной жизни, сталкивается в придорожном кафе с существом, которое лишь внешне походит на человека. А водитель на заброшенной дороге встречается с мифическим чудовищем. Эти страшные и одновременно лирические истории происходят в завораживающих и зловещих м
552 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 20, 2019
309 people are currently reading
3441 people want to read
About the author
John Langan
82 books1,853 followersJohn Langan is the author of two novels, The Fisherman (Word Horde 2016) and House of Windows (Night Shade 2009), and two collections of stories, The Wide, Carnivorous Sky and Other Monstrous Geographies (Hippocampus 2013) and Mr. Gaunt and Other Uneasy Encounters (Prime 2008). With Paul Tremblay, he co-edited Creatures: Thirty Years of Monsters (Prime 2011). He's one of the founders of the Shirley Jackson Awards, for which he served as a juror during its first three years. Currently, he reviews horror and dark fantasy for Locus magazine.
John Langan lives in New York's Hudson Valley with his wife, younger son, and many, many animals. He teaches at SUNY New Paltz. He's working toward his black belt in the Korean martial art of Tang Soo Do.
John Langan lives in New York's Hudson Valley with his wife, younger son, and many, many animals. He teaches at SUNY New Paltz. He's working toward his black belt in the Korean martial art of Tang Soo Do.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
April 6, 2019
4.5 stars! (rounded up for Goodreads)
Friends, my favorite part of reviewing books is expressing to you, the person reading this review, how I felt as I read this book. I think it's so much more intimate and interesting to track with the reader through their experience, rather than have the reviewer explain plot details.
That's just my opinion, so that's what I emphasize in my book reviews.
SEFIRA & OTHER BETRAYALS. First, the cover. It's one of the more memorable ones I've seen so far in 2019-there's this bare chested, bald, bearded man biting the head off of a human...well, a statue made to resemble a human. It's a very disarming image but one that intrigued me. Does it make you curious too? More on this image later.
Secondly, the author. John Langan wrote one of my favorite horror books called, THE FISHERMAN. If you haven't read it-get it. And you could read my non-spoiler review here as well.
There are a few other authors out there that Langan gets compared to/mentioned with-Straub, Lovecraft and James, for example (and Paul Tremblay's Introduction included with this book, addresses this point way better than I ever could) but I think it's important for me to state that I haven't read anything quite like Langan's unique writing style. It's rich, literary, atmospheric, cosmic and unexpected.
I'm usually pretty good at guessing where an author is going to go with their stories but there are some authors that hold their cards pretty close to the chest and Langan is one of them-I never know where he's going to go. His stories are full of unexpected twists and turns.
There are 8 stories in this collection. One of which, the title track-SEFIRA-could have been a standalone novella release all by itself. It's certainly the biggest personality in the room compared to the other stories and definitely the most memorable for me (but maybe not my favorite-if that makes sense). SEFIRA is a crazy premise involving a murderous succubus and the woman scorned who is hunting her. It was a wild, shocking ride that one.
IN PARIS, IN THE MOUTH OF KRONOS was cool because I love trying to identify how the cover or the title ties in with the story and I'm pretty sure the cover was inspired from that story.
I love the way John Langan explores the collateral damage inflicted by both human monsters and other worldly monsters. The two are even mixed up in the same story and all of these stories have this common theme of one of humanity's most destructive beasts, "Betrayal".
My personal favorite in this collection, BOR URUS, is one of the shorter ones and the one I resonated or connected with the most. I also really enjoyed reading the author's Story Notes on that piece--but all his notes at the end were entertaining and insightful. It's always an added treat when an author includes Story Notes in a collection. I'm a huge fan of them and they help the reading experience feel more full bodied, well rounded and give a sense of closure.
I didn't feel I could give this collection all the stars just because there were times when I felt disconnected or maybe more like "floating along" in the story instead of actively engaged/compelled the whole time. There is an aspect to John's writing that requires some effort or work on the part of the reader to stay rapt at attention and sometimes I'm up for the challenge and other times, I just want to get swept away into the narrative and not work so hard. Did I just review a book less than full stars because I'm a lazy reader?? Yes. I probably did that. It's this lazy reader's belief that John Langan is a brilliant writer. I'm a fangirl for sure and a collector of his work.
Friends, my favorite part of reviewing books is expressing to you, the person reading this review, how I felt as I read this book. I think it's so much more intimate and interesting to track with the reader through their experience, rather than have the reviewer explain plot details.
That's just my opinion, so that's what I emphasize in my book reviews.
SEFIRA & OTHER BETRAYALS. First, the cover. It's one of the more memorable ones I've seen so far in 2019-there's this bare chested, bald, bearded man biting the head off of a human...well, a statue made to resemble a human. It's a very disarming image but one that intrigued me. Does it make you curious too? More on this image later.
Secondly, the author. John Langan wrote one of my favorite horror books called, THE FISHERMAN. If you haven't read it-get it. And you could read my non-spoiler review here as well.
There are a few other authors out there that Langan gets compared to/mentioned with-Straub, Lovecraft and James, for example (and Paul Tremblay's Introduction included with this book, addresses this point way better than I ever could) but I think it's important for me to state that I haven't read anything quite like Langan's unique writing style. It's rich, literary, atmospheric, cosmic and unexpected.
I'm usually pretty good at guessing where an author is going to go with their stories but there are some authors that hold their cards pretty close to the chest and Langan is one of them-I never know where he's going to go. His stories are full of unexpected twists and turns.
There are 8 stories in this collection. One of which, the title track-SEFIRA-could have been a standalone novella release all by itself. It's certainly the biggest personality in the room compared to the other stories and definitely the most memorable for me (but maybe not my favorite-if that makes sense). SEFIRA is a crazy premise involving a murderous succubus and the woman scorned who is hunting her. It was a wild, shocking ride that one.
IN PARIS, IN THE MOUTH OF KRONOS was cool because I love trying to identify how the cover or the title ties in with the story and I'm pretty sure the cover was inspired from that story.
I love the way John Langan explores the collateral damage inflicted by both human monsters and other worldly monsters. The two are even mixed up in the same story and all of these stories have this common theme of one of humanity's most destructive beasts, "Betrayal".
My personal favorite in this collection, BOR URUS, is one of the shorter ones and the one I resonated or connected with the most. I also really enjoyed reading the author's Story Notes on that piece--but all his notes at the end were entertaining and insightful. It's always an added treat when an author includes Story Notes in a collection. I'm a huge fan of them and they help the reading experience feel more full bodied, well rounded and give a sense of closure.
I didn't feel I could give this collection all the stars just because there were times when I felt disconnected or maybe more like "floating along" in the story instead of actively engaged/compelled the whole time. There is an aspect to John's writing that requires some effort or work on the part of the reader to stay rapt at attention and sometimes I'm up for the challenge and other times, I just want to get swept away into the narrative and not work so hard. Did I just review a book less than full stars because I'm a lazy reader?? Yes. I probably did that. It's this lazy reader's belief that John Langan is a brilliant writer. I'm a fangirl for sure and a collector of his work.
February 28, 2019
I had the honor of writing the intro to SEFIRA. Stories of betrayal and stories featuring monsters of all types, and featuring beautiful, Langanian writing, of course.
Want to read
July 1, 2019This hard cover is one of 500 produced.
Introduction by Paul Tremblay.
Cover art by Santiago Caruso.
Contents:
009 - Introduction by Paul Trembly
015 - Sefira
133 - In Paris, In the Month Of Kronos
165 -The Third Always Beside You
193 - The Unbearable Proximity of Mr. Dunn's Balloons
217 - Bloom
245 - Renfrew's Course
263 - Bor Urus
289 - At Home in the House of the Devil
331 - Story Notes
349 - Acknowledgements
351 - Publication History
Introduction by Paul Tremblay.
Cover art by Santiago Caruso.
Contents:
009 - Introduction by Paul Trembly
015 - Sefira
133 - In Paris, In the Month Of Kronos
165 -The Third Always Beside You
193 - The Unbearable Proximity of Mr. Dunn's Balloons
217 - Bloom
245 - Renfrew's Course
263 - Bor Urus
289 - At Home in the House of the Devil
331 - Story Notes
349 - Acknowledgements
351 - Publication History
October 16, 2019
Spooktober read #4!
It sounds inadequate to describe Langan’s short stories as wonderful. They are, don’t get me wrong. But the word doesn’t quite capture the enthralling weirdness you are about to experience when reading his stuff. I read one of his collections last year (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) and his novel “The Fisherman” (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) earlier this year, and both times, I was simply fascinated. He writes stories that are as carefully constructed as a Swiss clock: every little piece is there for a reason, and by the time you get to the end, you have felt the weight of each of his carefully chosen words, and might very well be haunted by what he has summoned from his dark imagination.
As the title indicates, the theme of this new collection is betrayal, and he explores it in its many aspects, mixing the familiar with the strange – the kind of strange you think you see at the corner of your eye, but then you blink and it's gone. The opening novella “Sefira”, sets the tone perfectly: while the theme of adultery comes back a few times through the collection, this one makes it the central event that pushes a woman to purse her husband’s mistress across the United States, and be changed by the experience in unexpected ways.
There will also be a very interesting exploration of the concept of the other woman, a steampunk-y story that blends science and occultism, secret agents who bite off more than they can chew, a visit from the strange creatures that wake up during intense East Coast storms, alien orchids, time travel and the Big Man Satan himself. While we encounter supernatural creatures in most of the stories, they are only there to reinforce an already existing sense of alienation that Langan’s characters always seem to deal with: whether their job has made them outcasts, or their relationship with family or partners has isolated them, the people who live in Langan’s head seem to already have one foot in sort of half world. They only need a little nudge to fall into it all the way.
For long-time fans of his work, there are delicious Easter eggs scattered through this collection, such as Dutchman’s Creek and its horrors, a few winks to the work of Laird Barron (it shows those two are friends who love each other’s writing), and of course, his beloved Upstate New York region – which, if you are to believe him, is simply crawling with Lovecraftian creatures.
While some of those stories are a bit weaker than the titular novella, they are all so unique, imaginative and fun that it’s impossible to dock a star off. I also adored “Bor Urus”, which revisited a previously encountered Langan location that I simply couldn’t forget, and the final tale, “At Home in the House of the Devil” is another stand out. Langan truly is a master of his craft, and this collection will delight fans of his work and newbies alike. Bonus point if you’ve driven through New York state and are familiar with the landscapes he uses as background for his spine-tingling tales.
4 and a half, rounded up!
It sounds inadequate to describe Langan’s short stories as wonderful. They are, don’t get me wrong. But the word doesn’t quite capture the enthralling weirdness you are about to experience when reading his stuff. I read one of his collections last year (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) and his novel “The Fisherman” (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) earlier this year, and both times, I was simply fascinated. He writes stories that are as carefully constructed as a Swiss clock: every little piece is there for a reason, and by the time you get to the end, you have felt the weight of each of his carefully chosen words, and might very well be haunted by what he has summoned from his dark imagination.
As the title indicates, the theme of this new collection is betrayal, and he explores it in its many aspects, mixing the familiar with the strange – the kind of strange you think you see at the corner of your eye, but then you blink and it's gone. The opening novella “Sefira”, sets the tone perfectly: while the theme of adultery comes back a few times through the collection, this one makes it the central event that pushes a woman to purse her husband’s mistress across the United States, and be changed by the experience in unexpected ways.
There will also be a very interesting exploration of the concept of the other woman, a steampunk-y story that blends science and occultism, secret agents who bite off more than they can chew, a visit from the strange creatures that wake up during intense East Coast storms, alien orchids, time travel and the Big Man Satan himself. While we encounter supernatural creatures in most of the stories, they are only there to reinforce an already existing sense of alienation that Langan’s characters always seem to deal with: whether their job has made them outcasts, or their relationship with family or partners has isolated them, the people who live in Langan’s head seem to already have one foot in sort of half world. They only need a little nudge to fall into it all the way.
For long-time fans of his work, there are delicious Easter eggs scattered through this collection, such as Dutchman’s Creek and its horrors, a few winks to the work of Laird Barron (it shows those two are friends who love each other’s writing), and of course, his beloved Upstate New York region – which, if you are to believe him, is simply crawling with Lovecraftian creatures.
While some of those stories are a bit weaker than the titular novella, they are all so unique, imaginative and fun that it’s impossible to dock a star off. I also adored “Bor Urus”, which revisited a previously encountered Langan location that I simply couldn’t forget, and the final tale, “At Home in the House of the Devil” is another stand out. Langan truly is a master of his craft, and this collection will delight fans of his work and newbies alike. Bonus point if you’ve driven through New York state and are familiar with the landscapes he uses as background for his spine-tingling tales.
4 and a half, rounded up!
April 7, 2025
This is my second time reading a John Langan story collection.
As a whole, it's an accomplished collection. As with many story collections, there are both high and low points. What I can say is that Langan's ability to write remarkable scenes is almost unparalleled. Each take has a common theme, betrayal, but you will also find other recurring themes within these stories.
'You want to know what eternal torment looks like? It’s repetition, doing the same thing over and over and over and over.”'
Below I've written a short review of each story as I've progressed through this collection.
Sefira ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A spectacular tale of betrayal, lust, revenge and demonic forces.
A great start to this collection of stories, which has us following Lisa on a road trip like no other. All in an attempt to confront a strange woman named Safira.
I loved following Lisa in her journey across the States and her many encounters on the way, she was likeable and also relatable in her motivations and actions.
Langan's writing is truly exceptional, switching from blood and gore, to deeply descriptive passages with consummate ease, all the while drawing vivid and lifelike scenes in your mind.
In Paris, in the Mouth of Kronos ⭐️⭐️⭐️
From the highs of the title offering comes this, although in my opinion not as good a story as the first. We follow two disgraced ex-US Army troops who have now been offered to escort someone named Mr White. They're told it'll be easy, all they need to do is escort him a few hundred yards. Easy right?
Where this story lacks a little for me, is in the characters, I didn't care for them or even know enough to begin to care. I did enjoy the narrative and the writing in general, along with the fact that it loosely ties into the first offering.
The Third Always Beside You ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A curious tale of betrayal that for the most part takes the form of a conversation over lunch. This is an odd one to rate or even review, as there is so little I can comment on without spoilers.
I can safely say I enjoyed reading this, mostly for wanting to know the truth of the situation discussed, that's as far as my thoughts go.
The Unbearable Proximity of Mr. Dunn's Ballons ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This short story follows Mark Coleman who travels to visit a spiritualist and his mysterious balloons.
This is yet another difficult tale to rate or fully describe. For the most part, it felt like more of a chore to read than an enjoyable experience. There were some more enjoyable moments and despite it feeling a chore, both the format of the story and the writing itself were a delight.
Bloom ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Now we're back to the good stuff, this tale of gripping cosmic horror wowed me from the very beginning. Langan shows his flair with language and top-notch storytelling.
This story follows Rick and Connie, while returning home after a visit to his father's they discover a donor transplant container at the side of the road and subsequently pick it up, with hopes of it then somehow getting to its intended destination..
Renfrew's Course ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This time-bending short story was a delight and a breath of fresh air compared to the previous stories. A really enjoyable concept with some interesting lore and a little timeshifting thrown in for good measure.
We follow two guys visiting a place called Renfrew's Keep, which is tied into folklore. As they explore, things get weird, really weird.
Bor Urus ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A short story revolving around the theme of storms and what lies within, plus of course betrayal.
I quite enjoyed this one, but in some ways, it failed to fully capture my attention. As always, well written, with some exceptional cosmic passages.
At Home in the House of the Devil ⭐️⭐️
As you can guess this story's focus is on religion and a family's relationship with the devil.
For me, this was the worst of the stories here. Largely due to the religious aspects, it didn't appeal to me in the slightest. As with the whole collection it is well written with some exceptional and vivid passages.
As a whole, it's an accomplished collection. As with many story collections, there are both high and low points. What I can say is that Langan's ability to write remarkable scenes is almost unparalleled. Each take has a common theme, betrayal, but you will also find other recurring themes within these stories.
'You want to know what eternal torment looks like? It’s repetition, doing the same thing over and over and over and over.”'
Below I've written a short review of each story as I've progressed through this collection.
Sefira ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A spectacular tale of betrayal, lust, revenge and demonic forces.
A great start to this collection of stories, which has us following Lisa on a road trip like no other. All in an attempt to confront a strange woman named Safira.
I loved following Lisa in her journey across the States and her many encounters on the way, she was likeable and also relatable in her motivations and actions.
Langan's writing is truly exceptional, switching from blood and gore, to deeply descriptive passages with consummate ease, all the while drawing vivid and lifelike scenes in your mind.
In Paris, in the Mouth of Kronos ⭐️⭐️⭐️
From the highs of the title offering comes this, although in my opinion not as good a story as the first. We follow two disgraced ex-US Army troops who have now been offered to escort someone named Mr White. They're told it'll be easy, all they need to do is escort him a few hundred yards. Easy right?
Where this story lacks a little for me, is in the characters, I didn't care for them or even know enough to begin to care. I did enjoy the narrative and the writing in general, along with the fact that it loosely ties into the first offering.
The Third Always Beside You ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A curious tale of betrayal that for the most part takes the form of a conversation over lunch. This is an odd one to rate or even review, as there is so little I can comment on without spoilers.
I can safely say I enjoyed reading this, mostly for wanting to know the truth of the situation discussed, that's as far as my thoughts go.
The Unbearable Proximity of Mr. Dunn's Ballons ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This short story follows Mark Coleman who travels to visit a spiritualist and his mysterious balloons.
This is yet another difficult tale to rate or fully describe. For the most part, it felt like more of a chore to read than an enjoyable experience. There were some more enjoyable moments and despite it feeling a chore, both the format of the story and the writing itself were a delight.
Bloom ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Now we're back to the good stuff, this tale of gripping cosmic horror wowed me from the very beginning. Langan shows his flair with language and top-notch storytelling.
This story follows Rick and Connie, while returning home after a visit to his father's they discover a donor transplant container at the side of the road and subsequently pick it up, with hopes of it then somehow getting to its intended destination..
Renfrew's Course ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This time-bending short story was a delight and a breath of fresh air compared to the previous stories. A really enjoyable concept with some interesting lore and a little timeshifting thrown in for good measure.
We follow two guys visiting a place called Renfrew's Keep, which is tied into folklore. As they explore, things get weird, really weird.
Bor Urus ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A short story revolving around the theme of storms and what lies within, plus of course betrayal.
I quite enjoyed this one, but in some ways, it failed to fully capture my attention. As always, well written, with some exceptional cosmic passages.
At Home in the House of the Devil ⭐️⭐️
As you can guess this story's focus is on religion and a family's relationship with the devil.
For me, this was the worst of the stories here. Largely due to the religious aspects, it didn't appeal to me in the slightest. As with the whole collection it is well written with some exceptional and vivid passages.
October 10, 2021
3.5 stars. A mixed bag for me!
April 29, 2019
Finally, finally catching up on reviews, and this book definitely deserves one. This month has been bananas, but I'm going into May (how is it already May??) with all of my reviews finished and a nice tidy TBR to work through. I'm getting back into my groove.
Hippocampus Press provided me with a copy of SEFIRA AND OTHER BETRAYALS in exchange for an honest review. My pals Sadie and Emily buddy read this one with me, and we had a blast. I loved THE FISHERMAN by Langan so much that I would happily read anything he publishes. And I intend to catch up with his previously published works at some point this year.
This collection contains 7 short stories and 1 novella, and all of them are just as interesting as the cover, which by the way is inspired by the second story In Paris, In the Mouth of Kronos. All of the stories in this collection deal with betrayal in one from or another, and interestingly, the two stories that are original to this collection are the ones that I connected with the most.
Sefira is a slow burn novella that takes its time giving up its secrets. A woman discovers that her husband has been cheating on her, and it suddenly sends her on a cross country chase to catch up with the woman he had an affair with and enact some form of revenge. The reader doesn't know exactly why she's driving all over the country to catch up with this woman, and we certainly don't understand the strange changes that are occurring to the spurned wife as she chases the other woman. Langan teases out those details masterfully, and by the end of the story all is revealed and the protagonist is left with a very unexpected decision.
At Home in the Devil's House has a very interesting premise. "Every man meets the Devil once before he dies. That's a theory I can definitely buy into, and it's quite a story to find out why the protagonist is finally visited by the lord of the underworld. It's heartbreaking, but at the same time you can almost understand the protagonist's actions. Almost. He certainly puts himself in a terrible situation. Although I suppose we all have to answer to the devil eventually.
This collection is an absolute-must read for fans of horror or weird fiction. There is some added fun to this book as well. Paul Tremblay's introduction is excellent, and Langan provides story notes at the end of the book. I adore story notes. Getting just a little bit of extra info about a story straight from the author is always a treat. Definitely pick this one up, friends.
Hippocampus Press provided me with a copy of SEFIRA AND OTHER BETRAYALS in exchange for an honest review. My pals Sadie and Emily buddy read this one with me, and we had a blast. I loved THE FISHERMAN by Langan so much that I would happily read anything he publishes. And I intend to catch up with his previously published works at some point this year.
This collection contains 7 short stories and 1 novella, and all of them are just as interesting as the cover, which by the way is inspired by the second story In Paris, In the Mouth of Kronos. All of the stories in this collection deal with betrayal in one from or another, and interestingly, the two stories that are original to this collection are the ones that I connected with the most.
Sefira is a slow burn novella that takes its time giving up its secrets. A woman discovers that her husband has been cheating on her, and it suddenly sends her on a cross country chase to catch up with the woman he had an affair with and enact some form of revenge. The reader doesn't know exactly why she's driving all over the country to catch up with this woman, and we certainly don't understand the strange changes that are occurring to the spurned wife as she chases the other woman. Langan teases out those details masterfully, and by the end of the story all is revealed and the protagonist is left with a very unexpected decision.
At Home in the Devil's House has a very interesting premise. "Every man meets the Devil once before he dies. That's a theory I can definitely buy into, and it's quite a story to find out why the protagonist is finally visited by the lord of the underworld. It's heartbreaking, but at the same time you can almost understand the protagonist's actions. Almost. He certainly puts himself in a terrible situation. Although I suppose we all have to answer to the devil eventually.
This collection is an absolute-must read for fans of horror or weird fiction. There is some added fun to this book as well. Paul Tremblay's introduction is excellent, and Langan provides story notes at the end of the book. I adore story notes. Getting just a little bit of extra info about a story straight from the author is always a treat. Definitely pick this one up, friends.
April 22, 2019
"Where I'm from, pain is a fact of life."
3.5⭐
Sefira & Other Betrayals is a collection of 8 stories from John Langan, and this was my introduction to his work. I really liked the concepts of these stories, and it was fun to see the author's creativity. I buddy read this one with my friends Mindi and Sadie.
Although I liked the concepts of the stories, I had trouble connecting to the execution. John Langan writes so well, but at time, it feels like things are overly detailed. His style is very literary, and sometimes I felt like I was in school again. This collection is absolutely perfect for the right reader, but I struggled to maintain interest at times. I think I was the problem, and not the book itself. This is not a casual read, and I may have just been in the wrong mood for it.
At times, it felt like every story had the same format, and I was longing for some variety. There was slow build up with a lot of dialogue and description, and then some horror tucked in at the end. Not all of the stories were like this, but many of them were.
My top 3 stories in this collection were Bloom, Bor Urus, and Sefira. These were such intriguing stories, and I enjoyed them. Even though I struggled with the collection as a whole, it's good, and I think many readers will enjoy it. Thank you to Hippocampus Press for sending me a copy to review.
3.5⭐
Sefira & Other Betrayals is a collection of 8 stories from John Langan, and this was my introduction to his work. I really liked the concepts of these stories, and it was fun to see the author's creativity. I buddy read this one with my friends Mindi and Sadie.
Although I liked the concepts of the stories, I had trouble connecting to the execution. John Langan writes so well, but at time, it feels like things are overly detailed. His style is very literary, and sometimes I felt like I was in school again. This collection is absolutely perfect for the right reader, but I struggled to maintain interest at times. I think I was the problem, and not the book itself. This is not a casual read, and I may have just been in the wrong mood for it.
At times, it felt like every story had the same format, and I was longing for some variety. There was slow build up with a lot of dialogue and description, and then some horror tucked in at the end. Not all of the stories were like this, but many of them were.
My top 3 stories in this collection were Bloom, Bor Urus, and Sefira. These were such intriguing stories, and I enjoyed them. Even though I struggled with the collection as a whole, it's good, and I think many readers will enjoy it. Thank you to Hippocampus Press for sending me a copy to review.
May 21, 2019
John Langan is one of my favorite contemporary writers, so when I say that this isn't my favorite from among his books, that is only to say that it isn't my most favorite from among my favorites. Collected here are eight stories of betrayal, two of them new, one of which is probably in fact a short novel or long novelette, the eponymous "Sefira."
My favorite tales in this cabinet of wonders included the other new story, "At Home in the House of the Devil," as well as "In Paris, in the Mouth of Kronos," "The Unbearable Proximity of Mr. Dunn's Balloons," and "Renfrew's Course."
Even when I don't love a Langan story, I always admire it, and I love it more often than not. The fact that this collection isn't my favorite is less because these stories are any less potent or magical, and more because there are just others out there that I like better, Langan stories that are either bound up in his other collections or, in even more cases, still waiting their turn. A new book by John is always an instant purchase, and I'll be eagerly awaiting the next one, and then the next, and then the next...
My favorite tales in this cabinet of wonders included the other new story, "At Home in the House of the Devil," as well as "In Paris, in the Mouth of Kronos," "The Unbearable Proximity of Mr. Dunn's Balloons," and "Renfrew's Course."
Even when I don't love a Langan story, I always admire it, and I love it more often than not. The fact that this collection isn't my favorite is less because these stories are any less potent or magical, and more because there are just others out there that I like better, Langan stories that are either bound up in his other collections or, in even more cases, still waiting their turn. A new book by John is always an instant purchase, and I'll be eagerly awaiting the next one, and then the next, and then the next...
June 15, 2019
Sefira and Other Betrayals is another John Langan short story collection, for all the great and lamentable things that implies. He's one of the few greatest writers of cosmic horror ever, and to get new work from him is always a blessing. As always, there are some real gems in this collection, including especially the title novella. And all of the entries are exquisitely written, with careful and sensitively crafted characters moving through their strange scenarios with a sense of measured emotional realism. The only thing holding him back, as always, is the sense that Langan is mostly writing these for his own entertainment – not in the sense that he is writing to his taste, which is I'm sure very good, but in the sense that it feels like he's just messing around, rather than trying to produce the best work he could. It's a frustrating criticism to level in part because obviously it's his prerogative to use his talent however he sees fit, and also because the results are still more enjoyable than what most of his peers produce when they are really trying. It's just tantalizing, and feels especially so compared to Nathan Ballingrud's Wounds, which came out nearly simultaneously and delivers exactly the kind of fun/skill/mythos combination I wanted this to be.
The title novella starts the collection on a high note that it never quite returns to (probably one reason people normally stick these at the end?). It feels like one of the most uninhibited and fun things Langan has ever written. It could almost be an '80s action movie, with echoes of Terminator and Alien. It doesn't hurt that the weird insect-fairy deeptime spirit evolution worldbuilding is so thoroughly up my alley, though the execution isn't as exquisite on that front as The Fisherman. The body horror, the ending, and Lisa's personality and genuine stress all put this over the top. One of his best yet.
The next few stories all feel a bit disappointing after that. Both the Paris story and The Third (also the third story in the book, clever) are long stories with a payoff only at the end, then both of them rely heavily on narration from characters that didn't engage me as much as his protagonists often do. Both end with a compelling but narratively unsatisfying visual scene, a classic weird horror issue I've come (perhaps unfairly) to associate with Laird Barron: making the story about the reveal, instead of what comes after (avoiding that trap is part of the reason Sefira is so successful).
The Unbearable Proximity is one of the classic Langan literary experiments, and works about as well as any of them do. It feels superfluous and unsatisfying, despite the skill of its execution.
Bloom is more enjoyable but didn't quite hit home for me at the end--something about the threads he drew together was too easy to see through, too unconvincing, and the emotional backbone behind it wasn't quite as strong as it sometimes is, or would have needed to be to overcome the weaknesses elsewhere. Still, I like the concept, and the issues only became apparent at the end.
Renfrew's Course is an idea I like in theory but feels a bit thin and silly in practice.
Bor Urus is a Fisherman spin-off, and kind of seems to encapsulate the disparity between Langan's idea of indulgent mythos building and how much fun he could have if he took it seriously. It's one of the best stories in the collection, with a strong protagonist and an intoxicating sense of immediacy. The way the rain works here feels transcendent and relatable, the perfect John Crowley-esque kind of magic.
What annoys me about it is the plot. It is, quite literally, about a piece of the scenery in the Fisherman that has come loose and started to careening around randomly in a story it doesn't belong in. It feels shallow and arbitrary, undercutting the sense of possibility encapsulated by the rain veil in this story and the world building in the Fisherman itself. I dunno, maybe I'm being fickle here. Either way, it didn't work for me.
The last story is probably the best one other than the title story. It starts out a bit hokey, leaning into the character's religious back story in a way that isn't quite convincing. But once it gets into the relationship and addiction story, it's very compelling and the first since Sefira to really dive into the meat of "betrayal" in a meaningful way. I'm usually a big fan of the "meet the devil" story type, and I'm glad to see Langan's take on it, although that was maybe the least effective part of the story as a whole. There's a bunch of exposition about demonic world building that seems to echo Sefira's while also contradicting it and adds, as far as I can tell, nothing to this story, without being particularly interesting or entertaining on its own.
The title novella starts the collection on a high note that it never quite returns to (probably one reason people normally stick these at the end?). It feels like one of the most uninhibited and fun things Langan has ever written. It could almost be an '80s action movie, with echoes of Terminator and Alien. It doesn't hurt that the weird insect-fairy deeptime spirit evolution worldbuilding is so thoroughly up my alley, though the execution isn't as exquisite on that front as The Fisherman. The body horror, the ending, and Lisa's personality and genuine stress all put this over the top. One of his best yet.
The next few stories all feel a bit disappointing after that. Both the Paris story and The Third (also the third story in the book, clever) are long stories with a payoff only at the end, then both of them rely heavily on narration from characters that didn't engage me as much as his protagonists often do. Both end with a compelling but narratively unsatisfying visual scene, a classic weird horror issue I've come (perhaps unfairly) to associate with Laird Barron: making the story about the reveal, instead of what comes after (avoiding that trap is part of the reason Sefira is so successful).
The Unbearable Proximity is one of the classic Langan literary experiments, and works about as well as any of them do. It feels superfluous and unsatisfying, despite the skill of its execution.
Bloom is more enjoyable but didn't quite hit home for me at the end--something about the threads he drew together was too easy to see through, too unconvincing, and the emotional backbone behind it wasn't quite as strong as it sometimes is, or would have needed to be to overcome the weaknesses elsewhere. Still, I like the concept, and the issues only became apparent at the end.
Renfrew's Course is an idea I like in theory but feels a bit thin and silly in practice.
Bor Urus is a Fisherman spin-off, and kind of seems to encapsulate the disparity between Langan's idea of indulgent mythos building and how much fun he could have if he took it seriously. It's one of the best stories in the collection, with a strong protagonist and an intoxicating sense of immediacy. The way the rain works here feels transcendent and relatable, the perfect John Crowley-esque kind of magic.
What annoys me about it is the plot. It is, quite literally, about a piece of the scenery in the Fisherman that has come loose and started to careening around randomly in a story it doesn't belong in. It feels shallow and arbitrary, undercutting the sense of possibility encapsulated by the rain veil in this story and the world building in the Fisherman itself. I dunno, maybe I'm being fickle here. Either way, it didn't work for me.
The last story is probably the best one other than the title story. It starts out a bit hokey, leaning into the character's religious back story in a way that isn't quite convincing. But once it gets into the relationship and addiction story, it's very compelling and the first since Sefira to really dive into the meat of "betrayal" in a meaningful way. I'm usually a big fan of the "meet the devil" story type, and I'm glad to see Langan's take on it, although that was maybe the least effective part of the story as a whole. There's a bunch of exposition about demonic world building that seems to echo Sefira's while also contradicting it and adds, as far as I can tell, nothing to this story, without being particularly interesting or entertaining on its own.
March 5, 2021
3.25/5. Some of these stories were not great, but when John Langan writes a good story, it always subverts and exceeds my expectations greatly.
Betrayal is the name of the game in Sefira, and as you'd probably expect, most of the betrayals have to do with some type of infidelity in a romantic relationship. Not all did, but I was somewhat disappointed with the lack of variety. I expected more of the inventiveness I got in The Wide, Carnivorous Sky, and I was kind of disappointed with the lack of it. Most of the stories here are more basic in structure and genre.
Sefira, the title story, is the longest in the collection. Its also one of the best, though its kind of basic. It's executed well, and that's what keeps it at the top of the pile. At the price of this collection, I'd say it's worth it just to read Sefira, though the quality doesn't end so abruptly, though it won't come again for a while.
In Paris, In The Mouth of Kronos is the next story after Sefira, and it suffers by following such a good story. It isn't bad, but the tale isn't as cohesive or interesting as it could have been. The supernatural and betrayal elements felt forced, like they didn't need to be here, hence why I criticized its cohesion. Not a bad story, but it is forgettable and doesn't hold up to the high John Langan standard.
The Third Always Beside You is a pretty interesting story, but is seriously lacking in the horror department. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, I say that just to manage expectations. I don't have much to say about it, other than that it's pretty good and definitely has an interesting relationship dynamic within.
The Unbearable Proximity of Mr. Dunn's balloons is probably my least favorite story in the collection. It tried so hard to justify its own existence, but failed horribly. The build-up wasn't there, the tension wasn't there, the climax wasn't there, the interest wasn't there. It's terribly boring, terribly disjointed, and terribly regrettable. Thank Langan it's a short as it is.
Bloom is where Sefira and Other Betrayals started to redeem itself. This is a return to John Langan form, with a mysterious tale of horror. As so rarely happens in fiction, Langan builds up a mystery that actually has a very satisfying conclusion, but still has many loose threads. The plot elements were inherently tied in to the relationships and dynamics of the characters. Really, really cool.
Renfrew's Course follows up with a departure from the overtly horrific, in favor of a build-up of unease and confusion and a shocking conclusion. Thematically, this story works great, and though the ending isn't amazing, it works well as a stinger. Interesting read that I certainly don't regret.
Bor Urus is another home run for Langan. Connection to The Fisherman aside, it stands on its own as an intriguing tale of obsession and neglect. It's also one of the better written stories, if not the best, and his imagery is fantastic and illuminating.
At Home in the House of the Devil is probably my favorite of the lot. Its the second longest, so you can really get invested in the story. Unfortunately, Langan takes your investment and smashes it to pieces with a grim and harrowing tale. Seriously, this one is brutal, but absolutely worth a read.
Sefira and Other Betrayals also includes authors notes which I always enjoy reading. I like the extra insight into his process, and how he views the stories that he writes. The part concerning Mr. Dunn was a chore, but otherwise I enjoyed his personal tone and the story behind the stories.
Sefira has some stinkers, but when it's good, it's amazing. The middle parts really drag, but it picks up immensely towards the end. If John Langan has already captured your heart, give this a shot. If not, try reading The Fisherman or The Wide, Carnivorous Sky first, then give this a shot once you love those.
Betrayal is the name of the game in Sefira, and as you'd probably expect, most of the betrayals have to do with some type of infidelity in a romantic relationship. Not all did, but I was somewhat disappointed with the lack of variety. I expected more of the inventiveness I got in The Wide, Carnivorous Sky, and I was kind of disappointed with the lack of it. Most of the stories here are more basic in structure and genre.
Sefira, the title story, is the longest in the collection. Its also one of the best, though its kind of basic. It's executed well, and that's what keeps it at the top of the pile. At the price of this collection, I'd say it's worth it just to read Sefira, though the quality doesn't end so abruptly, though it won't come again for a while.
In Paris, In The Mouth of Kronos is the next story after Sefira, and it suffers by following such a good story. It isn't bad, but the tale isn't as cohesive or interesting as it could have been. The supernatural and betrayal elements felt forced, like they didn't need to be here, hence why I criticized its cohesion. Not a bad story, but it is forgettable and doesn't hold up to the high John Langan standard.
The Third Always Beside You is a pretty interesting story, but is seriously lacking in the horror department. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, I say that just to manage expectations. I don't have much to say about it, other than that it's pretty good and definitely has an interesting relationship dynamic within.
The Unbearable Proximity of Mr. Dunn's balloons is probably my least favorite story in the collection. It tried so hard to justify its own existence, but failed horribly. The build-up wasn't there, the tension wasn't there, the climax wasn't there, the interest wasn't there. It's terribly boring, terribly disjointed, and terribly regrettable. Thank Langan it's a short as it is.
Bloom is where Sefira and Other Betrayals started to redeem itself. This is a return to John Langan form, with a mysterious tale of horror. As so rarely happens in fiction, Langan builds up a mystery that actually has a very satisfying conclusion, but still has many loose threads. The plot elements were inherently tied in to the relationships and dynamics of the characters. Really, really cool.
Renfrew's Course follows up with a departure from the overtly horrific, in favor of a build-up of unease and confusion and a shocking conclusion. Thematically, this story works great, and though the ending isn't amazing, it works well as a stinger. Interesting read that I certainly don't regret.
Bor Urus is another home run for Langan. Connection to The Fisherman aside, it stands on its own as an intriguing tale of obsession and neglect. It's also one of the better written stories, if not the best, and his imagery is fantastic and illuminating.
At Home in the House of the Devil is probably my favorite of the lot. Its the second longest, so you can really get invested in the story. Unfortunately, Langan takes your investment and smashes it to pieces with a grim and harrowing tale. Seriously, this one is brutal, but absolutely worth a read.
Sefira and Other Betrayals also includes authors notes which I always enjoy reading. I like the extra insight into his process, and how he views the stories that he writes. The part concerning Mr. Dunn was a chore, but otherwise I enjoyed his personal tone and the story behind the stories.
Sefira has some stinkers, but when it's good, it's amazing. The middle parts really drag, but it picks up immensely towards the end. If John Langan has already captured your heart, give this a shot. If not, try reading The Fisherman or The Wide, Carnivorous Sky first, then give this a shot once you love those.
November 7, 2023
Literatūriški siaubo apsakymai apie išdavystes ir priešistorines, siaubingas ir alkanas būtybes.
Negalėjau nelyginti su ką tik prieš tai skaityta to paties autoriaus The Wide, Carnivorous Sky and Other Monstrous Geographies, kuri man išties užkėlė lūkesčius ir atrodė geriau negu "Sefira", jau vien "Carnivorous Sky" viršelis nurodo į gražų ir fundamentalų šiurpą, o "Sefiros" – lyg DnD taisyklių knyga:D Apsakymai vieni daugiau patiko, kiti mažiau, bet nežinau, ar buvo gera mintis susikoncentruoti į išdavystes – būtų buvę faina palikti duris atvertas kitoms situacijoms ir santykių formoms.
Pirmame (ilgiausiame) apsakyme moteris automobiliu persekioja sukubą (sukubę?). Kasdienių detalių gausa įtraukia, bet vėliau pasirodęs paaiškinimas apie sukubės (sukubos?:D) genezę kažkaip nuvylė. Nežinau.
Po to keli man buvo ne itin įtraukiantys, bet "Bloom" ir "Bor Urus" sužibėjo ta traukiančia ir gąsdinančia Lovecraftiška gelme. Gal tiesiog surezonavo, nes ir personažams pajutau gilią empatiją, bet sykiu pakankamai buvo palikta paslaptyje, kad galėtum užpildyti savo vaizduotėje. Ir peizažai... Va, gal peizažai / geografijos yra man labiausiai patinkantis šio autoriaus kūrybos aspektas?
Žodžiu, gera rinktinė, gal būtų ir penkios žvaigždės, jei būčiau nuo jos pradėjusi, bet nepradėjau.
Negalėjau nelyginti su ką tik prieš tai skaityta to paties autoriaus The Wide, Carnivorous Sky and Other Monstrous Geographies, kuri man išties užkėlė lūkesčius ir atrodė geriau negu "Sefira", jau vien "Carnivorous Sky" viršelis nurodo į gražų ir fundamentalų šiurpą, o "Sefiros" – lyg DnD taisyklių knyga:D Apsakymai vieni daugiau patiko, kiti mažiau, bet nežinau, ar buvo gera mintis susikoncentruoti į išdavystes – būtų buvę faina palikti duris atvertas kitoms situacijoms ir santykių formoms.
Pirmame (ilgiausiame) apsakyme moteris automobiliu persekioja sukubą (sukubę?). Kasdienių detalių gausa įtraukia, bet vėliau pasirodęs paaiškinimas apie sukubės (sukubos?:D) genezę kažkaip nuvylė. Nežinau.
Po to keli man buvo ne itin įtraukiantys, bet "Bloom" ir "Bor Urus" sužibėjo ta traukiančia ir gąsdinančia Lovecraftiška gelme. Gal tiesiog surezonavo, nes ir personažams pajutau gilią empatiją, bet sykiu pakankamai buvo palikta paslaptyje, kad galėtum užpildyti savo vaizduotėje. Ir peizažai... Va, gal peizažai / geografijos yra man labiausiai patinkantis šio autoriaus kūrybos aspektas?
Žodžiu, gera rinktinė, gal būtų ir penkios žvaigždės, jei būčiau nuo jos pradėjusi, bet nepradėjau.
June 12, 2020
Джон Ланган се очертава като един от писателите, на които ще изям цялата библиография. Влезе ми перфектно. Това обаче ще ви се случи само ако харесвате равното подаване на напрежение през целия разказ, подобно на произведенията на Томас Лиготи, Рамзи Кембъл и най-вече Пи��ър Строб. С последния Ланган е сравняван нееднократно, включително в увода на този сборник, писан от Пол Трембли.
Както се разбира от заглавието, разказите в книгата гравитират около темата за предателството и последствията от него. Предателствата на места са навирани в очите на читателя, на места служат само като лайтмотив, но винаги са повече от едно, доста добре изграждащи пластове в разказите.
Sefira - Една жена е тръгнала да преследва из целите Щати сукуба, която е прелъстила и унищожила мъжа ѝ (ама той пръв я е потърсил, така че...). Докато трае пътуването, самата тя започва да претърпява неочаквана метаморфоза. Това ще доведе до един финал - справедлив или кошмарен всеки сам да си решава.
In Paris, In the Month Of Kronos - Интересно, че това е едно от любимите произведения на повечето фенове на Ланган. Аз няма как да се свържа с целия хайп след 11.09. когато се появяват всичките сведения за тормоз над араби от военни, полиция, ЦРУ и прочие. Въпреки това разказът е добър, само няма как чисто геогравски да ме докосне емоционално.
Двама военни, дискредитирани и уволнени дисциплинарно, заради издевателства над арабски цивилен, са наети от пааравоенна организация, да издирят бивш колега и главен инквизитор в бригадата им. Макар да знаят, че повечето им колеги са загинали мистериозно или изчезнали безследно, задачата изглежда елементарна, а парите повече от достатъчно. Господин Уайт, както се казва обектът, ще се окаже нещо повече от човек.
The Third Always Beside You - Това почти през цялото време вървеше като обикновена история. Даже финалът е по-скоро метафоричен, от колкото призрачен. Все пак до сега не ми се беше случвало с такова настървение да изгълтам чисто конвенционална история за любовен триъгълник. Предполагам се дължи на неочаквано добре поднесените обрати и на чисто човешкият мрак, който струи от страниците.
Една семейна двойка ще премине през редица перипети, когато мъжът признава на всички връзка започнала преди, и продължила през цялото време на, брака им. Нещата иамт шанс да се оправят и семейството да се спаси, когато един телефонен разговор отново разпалва старите страсти.
The Unbearable Proximity of Mr. Dunn's Balloons - държа да отбележа, че разпознах Хенри Джеймс като главен герой тук. Най вече заради "Петата купа" от Дан Симънс. Историята е викторианска, лъвкрафтска и доста наситена.
Един писател държи да се запознае с окултен изобретател, чиито методи за облекчаване на страданията на умиращите са доста популярни. По пътя към имението му се натъква на млада семейна двойка насочила се в същата посока. Това ще доведе до конфлик, надхвърлящ границите на нормалното и разкриване на кошмарна истина.
Bloom - Ебахти якия разказ. Лъвкрафт ще е доволен.
Млада семейна двойка намира контейнер за органи, забравен на пътя. Когато го отварят, съдържанието му няма общо с нищо земно. Дали е свързано с астрономическите изследванията на бащата на мъжа и пагубния алцхаймер, който изяжда спомените му?
Renfrew's Course - По-скоро фентъзи, от колкото хорър, насочено към ЛГБТ публиката и все пак може би любимият ми разказ в сборника. И доста ме заинтересуваха легендите за Майкъл Скот, който е първообраз на магьосника тук.
Двама дългогодишни приятели и любовници, единият програмист, другият писател, тръгват на поход към руините на стар шотландски замък, принадлежал на легендарен магьосник. Пътят освен през пространството ще ги преведе и напед-назад през времето на тяхната връзка. Целта се оказва плашеща и изненадваща.
Bor Urus - Не си правете труда да търсите превод от латинки, преди да прочетете бележките към историята. Шантаво произведение, което размива реалности, но успява доста добре да хване есенции за израстването, родителството и остаряването.
Мъж, обсебен от бурите нееднократно става свидетел на странни явления по време на регулярните урагани, помитащи родното му място. Тези сблъсъци с паранормалното диктуват живота му по доста необичаен начин, докато един ден се усеща почти разбил семейството и изгубил работата си. Един последен тласък ще го предхвърли или отвъд разумното, или обратно в действителното.
At Home in the House of the Devil - Без да съм ирландец, или ревностен християнин, или изобщо, историите за сблъсъци с дявола винаги са откликвали на нещо в мен. Тази не прави изключение, даже е по-добра от повечето, които съм чел, а те не са една и две.
"Всеки се среща поне един път с Дявола преди смъртта си". Или поне протагонистът в историята вярва на това, заложено от поколенията в рода му, правило. Това води до насаждане на чувство за вина и един живот, блъскащ се между "праведното" и "грешното", докато не се изправи лице в лице с истината. А тя е доста по-различна от представите на Милтън и Данте или Левин и Кинг.
Както се разбира от заглавието, разказите в книгата гравитират около темата за предателството и последствията от него. Предателствата на места са навирани в очите на читателя, на места служат само като лайтмотив, но винаги са повече от едно, доста добре изграждащи пластове в разказите.
Sefira - Една жена е тръгнала да преследва из целите Щати сукуба, която е прелъстила и унищожила мъжа ѝ (ама той пръв я е потърсил, така че...). Докато трае пътуването, самата тя започва да претърпява неочаквана метаморфоза. Това ще доведе до един финал - справедлив или кошмарен всеки сам да си решава.
In Paris, In the Month Of Kronos - Интересно, че това е едно от любимите произведения на повечето фенове на Ланган. Аз няма как да се свържа с целия хайп след 11.09. когато се появяват всичките сведения за тормоз над араби от военни, полиция, ЦРУ и прочие. Въпреки това разказът е добър, само няма как чисто геогравски да ме докосне емоционално.
Двама военни, дискредитирани и уволнени дисциплинарно, заради издевателства над арабски цивилен, са наети от пааравоенна организация, да издирят бивш колега и главен инквизитор в бригадата им. Макар да знаят, че повечето им колеги са загинали мистериозно или изчезнали безследно, задачата изглежда елементарна, а парите повече от достатъчно. Господин Уайт, както се казва обектът, ще се окаже нещо повече от човек.
The Third Always Beside You - Това почти през цялото време вървеше като обикновена история. Даже финалът е по-скоро метафоричен, от колкото призрачен. Все пак до сега не ми се беше случвало с такова настървение да изгълтам чисто конвенционална история за любовен триъгълник. Предполагам се дължи на неочаквано добре поднесените обрати и на чисто човешкият мрак, който струи от страниците.
Една семейна двойка ще премине през редица перипети, когато мъжът признава на всички връзка започнала преди, и продължила през цялото време на, брака им. Нещата иамт шанс да се оправят и семейството да се спаси, когато един телефонен разговор отново разпалва старите страсти.
The Unbearable Proximity of Mr. Dunn's Balloons - държа да отбележа, че разпознах Хенри Джеймс като главен герой тук. Най вече заради "Петата купа" от Дан Симънс. Историята е викторианска, лъвкрафтска и доста наситена.
Един писател държи да се запознае с окултен изобретател, чиито методи за облекчаване на страданията на умиращите са доста популярни. По пътя към имението му се натъква на млада семейна двойка насочила се в същата посока. Това ще доведе до конфлик, надхвърлящ границите на нормалното и разкриване на кошмарна истина.
Bloom - Ебахти якия разказ. Лъвкрафт ще е доволен.
Млада семейна двойка намира контейнер за органи, забравен на пътя. Когато го отварят, съдържанието му няма общо с нищо земно. Дали е свързано с астрономическите изследванията на бащата на мъжа и пагубния алцхаймер, който изяжда спомените му?
Renfrew's Course - По-скоро фентъзи, от колкото хорър, насочено към ЛГБТ публиката и все пак може би любимият ми разказ в сборника. И доста ме заинтересуваха легендите за Майкъл Скот, който е първообраз на магьосника тук.
Двама дългогодишни приятели и любовници, единият програмист, другият писател, тръгват на поход към руините на стар шотландски замък, принадлежал на легендарен магьосник. Пътят освен през пространството ще ги преведе и напед-назад през времето на тяхната връзка. Целта се оказва плашеща и изненадваща.
Bor Urus - Не си правете труда да търсите превод от латинки, преди да прочетете бележките към историята. Шантаво произведение, което размива реалности, но успява доста добре да хване есенции за израстването, родителството и остаряването.
Мъж, обсебен от бурите нееднократно става свидетел на странни явления по време на регулярните урагани, помитащи родното му място. Тези сблъсъци с паранормалното диктуват живота му по доста необичаен начин, докато един ден се усеща почти разбил семейството и изгубил работата си. Един последен тласък ще го предхвърли или отвъд разумното, или обратно в действителното.
At Home in the House of the Devil - Без да съм ирландец, или ревностен християнин, или изобщо, историите за сблъсъци с дявола винаги са откликвали на нещо в мен. Тази не прави изключение, даже е по-добра от повечето, които съм чел, а те не са една и две.
"Всеки се среща поне един път с Дявола преди смъртта си". Или поне протагонистът в историята вярва на това, заложено от поколенията в рода му, правило. Това води до насаждане на чувство за вина и един живот, блъскащ се между "праведното" и "грешното", докато не се изправи лице в лице с истината. А тя е доста по-различна от представите на Милтън и Данте или Левин и Кинг.
May 6, 2021
Sefira is the second of Langan's collections I have read after Children of the Fang, whose heights I don't think this as a whole can quite reach. Nonetheless, Sefira is a great collection that only further proves GRs need for half star ratings. The stories here are Langan in full literary horror mode with all the positives and negatives that entails. While I found that some of the stories skirted the edge of being overly long or the writing to teeter on overindulgence, Langan inevitably pulls things back together with an excellent marriage of concept and execution. As with CotF, his story notes are wonderful, and I'd recommend reading them after finishing and ruminating on each story for the insights they provide into his ideas, writing process, and intentions.
My favorite of the stories in Sefira was In Paris, In the Mouth of Kronos, a blend of horror and neo noir that features interesting moral dilemmas and noir style dialogue that kept me reading. If you enjoy the more literary side of horror or the weird, Langan provides. His writing is there to be savored, so don't expect a quick or easy read. These stories require time to get lost in, but the reward is worth the effort. (Also I'd love to hear some of these stories on audio, but no idea if that's in the works for either this or CotF).
My favorite of the stories in Sefira was In Paris, In the Mouth of Kronos, a blend of horror and neo noir that features interesting moral dilemmas and noir style dialogue that kept me reading. If you enjoy the more literary side of horror or the weird, Langan provides. His writing is there to be savored, so don't expect a quick or easy read. These stories require time to get lost in, but the reward is worth the effort. (Also I'd love to hear some of these stories on audio, but no idea if that's in the works for either this or CotF).
December 6, 2020
4/5
I've been reading each short story in between longer reads and have continued chasing the dragon with John Langan to regain that feeling I had when I first read Langan's The Fisherman. The tough thing about these collections is the variance in my enjoyment...don't get me wrong, all of the stories are expertly written and entertaining, it's just that I want every one of them to be of the quality of The Fisherman dammit! haha
That is unfair, of course. Few novels will reach that height for me although Langan has a few in this collection that come very close and are very worth the price of admission. Favorites include Bor Urus (tied into The Fisherman), Renfrew's Course, and Bloom. It's also very interesting to see Langan's universe crossover with another favorite author of mine, Laird Barron (we see characters from Barron's work appear, items like the Black Guide, etc). This makes for added fun for a close reader.
The part that Langan always hits the mark on is his ability to convey human fallibility and emotion. Great talent on showcase here.
I've been reading each short story in between longer reads and have continued chasing the dragon with John Langan to regain that feeling I had when I first read Langan's The Fisherman. The tough thing about these collections is the variance in my enjoyment...don't get me wrong, all of the stories are expertly written and entertaining, it's just that I want every one of them to be of the quality of The Fisherman dammit! haha
That is unfair, of course. Few novels will reach that height for me although Langan has a few in this collection that come very close and are very worth the price of admission. Favorites include Bor Urus (tied into The Fisherman), Renfrew's Course, and Bloom. It's also very interesting to see Langan's universe crossover with another favorite author of mine, Laird Barron (we see characters from Barron's work appear, items like the Black Guide, etc). This makes for added fun for a close reader.
The part that Langan always hits the mark on is his ability to convey human fallibility and emotion. Great talent on showcase here.
May 25, 2019
As always, Langan delivers. I regard him as the best living prose stylist that I am aware of for a reason. 'Sefira' and 'Boru Orus' were the real stand outs for me, though all of the stories have something to offer fans of literary horror.
I really do wish more authors would write explanatory afterwords like Langan does too, especially for short story collections.
I really do wish more authors would write explanatory afterwords like Langan does too, especially for short story collections.
June 21, 2022
Sefira and Nakota from The Cipher should party together on weekends.
March 29, 2019
Langan’s first tale Sefira, tragedy with betrayal in the narrative.
Wife and husband, Lisa and Gary, moved to Hudson Valley, Newburgh, marriage split apart due to a mans falling to lust, forbidden desires, and wildest fun promised by Sefira.
There becomes more at stake in this tale.
Lisa Martinez is on the road driving to something, farther afield, a fate, with monstrous transformations, a psychological suspense metamorphosing into a real horror.
Lisa can kick ass and will not succumb and give up easily to the forces trying to stop her quest.
A pursuit tale of betrayal on the road in search of some payback, all that may make one think twice in the acts of betrayal.
Another captivating tale that stood out for me was Bloom.
Hey I would like my box back please my property in there, I need it. What was you thinking why couldn’t you just leave it there and pass it by?
A couple decide to be charitable and take something from one place to another, a cooler.
A bad move and with that comes the trepidation of what becomes, ones she dreams, strange ones parallel with reality unravelling in surreal circumstances part of something bigger.
Third and final selection from this collection for me that is a must-read, At Home in the House of the Devil.
A man studying many devil aspects to an obsessive level.
After time his obsession and addiction became sated for a time with other things drugs and more immediate passions, with betrayal with a cost.
Descent into darkness, bad things and unexpected encounters.
“I studied that dark figure for what felt like hours at a time, for what must have amounted to days. Never directly: from the moment I first understood what the statue, tucked between the empty bottle of Ardbeg and the framed photograph of Devil’s Rock, showed was afraid to let my gaze travel any lower than St. Michael’s knee.
My fear arose from an awareness that I shouldn’t be so interested in the Devil, which overlay a more primitive concern that if I stared directly at him, he would notice me, and, irritated that he had been seen in such a humiliating pose, carry me off to Hell.”
These three my recommendations, must-reads, Sefira, Bloom, and At Home in the House of the Devil.
He knows how to conjure darkness in a tale, with many story ingredients, spiralling and descending into something unfathomable, whipping the words and evoking the obscure.
Bring on more John Langan! Will be reading The Fisherman and The Wide, Carnivorous Sky and Other Monstrous Geographies soon.
Review also @ More2Read
Wife and husband, Lisa and Gary, moved to Hudson Valley, Newburgh, marriage split apart due to a mans falling to lust, forbidden desires, and wildest fun promised by Sefira.
There becomes more at stake in this tale.
Lisa Martinez is on the road driving to something, farther afield, a fate, with monstrous transformations, a psychological suspense metamorphosing into a real horror.
Lisa can kick ass and will not succumb and give up easily to the forces trying to stop her quest.
A pursuit tale of betrayal on the road in search of some payback, all that may make one think twice in the acts of betrayal.
Another captivating tale that stood out for me was Bloom.
Hey I would like my box back please my property in there, I need it. What was you thinking why couldn’t you just leave it there and pass it by?
A couple decide to be charitable and take something from one place to another, a cooler.
A bad move and with that comes the trepidation of what becomes, ones she dreams, strange ones parallel with reality unravelling in surreal circumstances part of something bigger.
Third and final selection from this collection for me that is a must-read, At Home in the House of the Devil.
A man studying many devil aspects to an obsessive level.
After time his obsession and addiction became sated for a time with other things drugs and more immediate passions, with betrayal with a cost.
Descent into darkness, bad things and unexpected encounters.
“I studied that dark figure for what felt like hours at a time, for what must have amounted to days. Never directly: from the moment I first understood what the statue, tucked between the empty bottle of Ardbeg and the framed photograph of Devil’s Rock, showed was afraid to let my gaze travel any lower than St. Michael’s knee.
My fear arose from an awareness that I shouldn’t be so interested in the Devil, which overlay a more primitive concern that if I stared directly at him, he would notice me, and, irritated that he had been seen in such a humiliating pose, carry me off to Hell.”
These three my recommendations, must-reads, Sefira, Bloom, and At Home in the House of the Devil.
He knows how to conjure darkness in a tale, with many story ingredients, spiralling and descending into something unfathomable, whipping the words and evoking the obscure.
Bring on more John Langan! Will be reading The Fisherman and The Wide, Carnivorous Sky and Other Monstrous Geographies soon.
Review also @ More2Read
August 20, 2024
This collection had a rather hypnotizing effect on me. Once I finished a story, it felt like time had started again, or I was dumped back unceremoniously into reality. I couldn't really devour them like I do to so many collections but rather was forced to slow down and be more mindful. I think Langan's work here deserves that. I'll elaborate a little.
All of these stories (with the exception of "Sefira") are written in the slow drip, very literary style of horror. Much of them are more directly concerned with relationship dramas and concerns about the brain's deterioration via Alzheimer's. Then in the last few pages out come the fantastic beasts, the unnerving supernatural occurrences, the incomprehensible awfulness concealed in the universe. I thought I would grow weary of such inevitable twists, and I think the collection would have benefited from a non-strictly supernatural/otherworldly ending but knowing they are coming do not lessen the impact.
Sefira though, almost ruined it for me. Despite the fantastic imagery and excruciating to read details I hated the time skips in the narration. I felt the world was somewhat incomplete. The protagonists' switch into kung fu master, while established, felt out of left field (and kind of goofy). In the story notes, Langan acknowledges this one may have been aiming at the cheap seats, and I felt it. It's still entertaining, but it juts out to me.
An excellent example of modern horror that isn't all violence/gore and doesn't lean on Cthulu.
All of these stories (with the exception of "Sefira") are written in the slow drip, very literary style of horror. Much of them are more directly concerned with relationship dramas and concerns about the brain's deterioration via Alzheimer's. Then in the last few pages out come the fantastic beasts, the unnerving supernatural occurrences, the incomprehensible awfulness concealed in the universe. I thought I would grow weary of such inevitable twists, and I think the collection would have benefited from a non-strictly supernatural/otherworldly ending but knowing they are coming do not lessen the impact.
Sefira though, almost ruined it for me. Despite the fantastic imagery and excruciating to read details I hated the time skips in the narration. I felt the world was somewhat incomplete. The protagonists' switch into kung fu master, while established, felt out of left field (and kind of goofy). In the story notes, Langan acknowledges this one may have been aiming at the cheap seats, and I felt it. It's still entertaining, but it juts out to me.
An excellent example of modern horror that isn't all violence/gore and doesn't lean on Cthulu.
April 12, 2019
I love a John Langan story. They are often complex, using multiple narrative layers to construct a puzzle box of terror and emotion. His characters are not thin-paper cutouts that exist to be tortured like in some genre tales. And by extension, a Langan monster is not your standard horror creature. His bizarre creations make for exciting reading. And, equally important, they serve a larger purpose in his stories.
Horror author John Langan has chosen betrayal as the theme for his third collection. As you can imagine for a writer of Mr. Langan’s caliber, he finds a wealth of material with that theme. It is interspersed through every rich sentence and every dense paragraph. Two new stories (the titular Sefira and the religious nightmare At Home in the House of the Devil) and six reprints are included in Sefira and Other Betrayals. Sefira is a brilliant road trip novella as well as an exploration of a marriage shattered. If you like body horror, this will be the story for you. It serves as a perfect introduction to the rest of the stories within.
If I had to pick a couple other favorites, I’d go with In Paris, in the Mouth of Kronos and The Third Always Beside You. In Paris, in the Mouth of Kronos is a noir heavy indictment of torture and the horrors of war. Its ending is startling and awe-inspiring. On the other side of the coin is the much quieter The Third Always Beside You. As mentioned in his Story Notes (more on those in a moment), John Langan set out to produce a different kind of vampire story for an Ellen Datlow anthology. He succeeds in the best possible war. The power of this story ties once again in the relationships of its characters.
I’m glad that the collection is closed out with lengthy Story Notes. I’ve always been a fan of these kind of sections. Because of the layered nature of these stories, these Notes helped me to wrap my head around the eight tales I’d experienced. Not every story is perfect, but they all have their strengths. I read a lot of horror fiction, and it’s books like this that make me want to be a better writer. Sefira and Other Betrayals is proof that horror can be literary. But these stories are not the stuffy texts we were forced to read in high school. Not even close.
Horror author John Langan has chosen betrayal as the theme for his third collection. As you can imagine for a writer of Mr. Langan’s caliber, he finds a wealth of material with that theme. It is interspersed through every rich sentence and every dense paragraph. Two new stories (the titular Sefira and the religious nightmare At Home in the House of the Devil) and six reprints are included in Sefira and Other Betrayals. Sefira is a brilliant road trip novella as well as an exploration of a marriage shattered. If you like body horror, this will be the story for you. It serves as a perfect introduction to the rest of the stories within.
If I had to pick a couple other favorites, I’d go with In Paris, in the Mouth of Kronos and The Third Always Beside You. In Paris, in the Mouth of Kronos is a noir heavy indictment of torture and the horrors of war. Its ending is startling and awe-inspiring. On the other side of the coin is the much quieter The Third Always Beside You. As mentioned in his Story Notes (more on those in a moment), John Langan set out to produce a different kind of vampire story for an Ellen Datlow anthology. He succeeds in the best possible war. The power of this story ties once again in the relationships of its characters.
I’m glad that the collection is closed out with lengthy Story Notes. I’ve always been a fan of these kind of sections. Because of the layered nature of these stories, these Notes helped me to wrap my head around the eight tales I’d experienced. Not every story is perfect, but they all have their strengths. I read a lot of horror fiction, and it’s books like this that make me want to be a better writer. Sefira and Other Betrayals is proof that horror can be literary. But these stories are not the stuffy texts we were forced to read in high school. Not even close.
August 19, 2019
John Langan returns with eight new tales of horror
The author notes in his informative endnotes that the theme of betrayal that threads through his latest anthology was purely coincidental and a surprise discovery he made whilst mulling overmpotential future releases. Although the stories are not connected betrayal does indeed dominate “Sefira and Other Betrayals” bubbling and permeating throughout the stories like a cancer waiting to strike.
Spread over 350 pages, there were only eight stories included with Sefira opening proceedings at 120 pages and At Home in the House of the Devil concluding the collection at just over forty pages. These were the only two inclusions which had not been previously published in magazines ranging from “Black Wings” to “Shadows Edge”. Coincidently, the two new stories were probably my favourites of the bunch.
Occupying the literary end of the horror spectrum, there was much to admire and enjoy in this anthology, from complex narratives to the slow deliberate build-up of atmosphere. However, on a personal level, when I read short stories I do enjoy a good scare or an unpleasant twist ending and this collection came up short in those departments. There was many stylishly well-crafted stories, but a few lacked the magic ingredient (or bite) to make them outstanding. Stories which are truly striking linker long in the memory and most of these are already fading from memory. Langan writes his short fiction in a similar style to his novels, so if you were a fan of the much lauded “Fisherman” you’ll probably enjoy this anthology.
Sefira was the closest in structure to “The Fisherman” with a narrative set over two time period which are relatively close together, both featuring a woman called Lisa. In the first she is chasing after someone (or something) after realising her husband Gary has been cheating on her. The second narrative deals with the circumstances in how the infidelity came around. This was an engaging novella, with lovely pacing, revealing its secrets deliciously slowly with a great pay-off. Cheating on your spouse is one thing, but make sure they’re human first and ask yourself whether you’re willing to stump up the price they charge. Lisa, however, is not a woman to be messed with and you’ll have fun as she hunts down Sefira. Don’t mess with a woman scorned!
At Home in the House of the Devil closes the anthology in some style and they say every man meets the Devil once before he dies. This is the story of a young man who strays away from his Christian upbringing whilst studying at university and after finding a new girlfriend, Sonya, tries heroin for the first time with her. She likes it way too much and spirals into addiction, whilst the Devil lurks around the corner, with this story deals with guilt as much as betrayal. The Devil, indeed, can manifest himself in many ways and lapsed Christians are easy pickings for Old Nick.
When you read single author anthologies the reader can pick up stylistic similarities which would probably go unnoticed if they were read episodically in their original magazine source. In Paris, in the Mouth of Kronos and The Third Always Beside You were two of the most obvious examples. In the former a dodgy couple, possibly agents, are hired to track down a target, not realising they are pawns in a bigger game, and in the latter two adult siblings realise there is a third person in their parent’s marriage which nobody ever speaks about, but whose presence is always felt. Although the plots are completely different, the supernatural reveal in the final both stories was done in a very similar fashion and with no major surprises. Bloom was one of my favourites, a couple find a cooler on side of the road whilst driving home and are unsure what to do with it, or what might be inside it? It was a quirky read and I enjoyed the journey and the direction the story took.
The three other inclusions did not make a huge impression. However, it was nice to read a story set in my homeland of Scotland in Renfrew’s Course, and The Unbearable Proximity of Mr. Dunn’s Balloons was in its own way quite striking and Bor Urus features weird reality bending storms and a man with complex personal problems. None of the three truly grabbed me though.
Recently I’ve read and reviewed a number of single anthologies and in comparison to Alexander Zelenyj and JR Hamantaschen “Sefira and Other Betrayals” was solid but unspectacular. It’s undoubtedly personal taste, I like to be shocked, surprised, disgusted and left shaking my head at bizarre or unfathomable endings. I enjoy being forced to reread an ending asking myself “what the f-happened there?” I also love starting a new short story, the completely unpredictable Zelenyj or Hamantaschen are good examples, in the knowledge that I have no idea where it is going to take me and even if they write a few misfires it’s a risk worth taking. On the other hand, this John Langan collection was a very safe and solid anthology which I’m sure his many admirers will enjoy, as it’s more of the same.
The author notes in his informative endnotes that the theme of betrayal that threads through his latest anthology was purely coincidental and a surprise discovery he made whilst mulling overmpotential future releases. Although the stories are not connected betrayal does indeed dominate “Sefira and Other Betrayals” bubbling and permeating throughout the stories like a cancer waiting to strike.
Spread over 350 pages, there were only eight stories included with Sefira opening proceedings at 120 pages and At Home in the House of the Devil concluding the collection at just over forty pages. These were the only two inclusions which had not been previously published in magazines ranging from “Black Wings” to “Shadows Edge”. Coincidently, the two new stories were probably my favourites of the bunch.
Occupying the literary end of the horror spectrum, there was much to admire and enjoy in this anthology, from complex narratives to the slow deliberate build-up of atmosphere. However, on a personal level, when I read short stories I do enjoy a good scare or an unpleasant twist ending and this collection came up short in those departments. There was many stylishly well-crafted stories, but a few lacked the magic ingredient (or bite) to make them outstanding. Stories which are truly striking linker long in the memory and most of these are already fading from memory. Langan writes his short fiction in a similar style to his novels, so if you were a fan of the much lauded “Fisherman” you’ll probably enjoy this anthology.
Sefira was the closest in structure to “The Fisherman” with a narrative set over two time period which are relatively close together, both featuring a woman called Lisa. In the first she is chasing after someone (or something) after realising her husband Gary has been cheating on her. The second narrative deals with the circumstances in how the infidelity came around. This was an engaging novella, with lovely pacing, revealing its secrets deliciously slowly with a great pay-off. Cheating on your spouse is one thing, but make sure they’re human first and ask yourself whether you’re willing to stump up the price they charge. Lisa, however, is not a woman to be messed with and you’ll have fun as she hunts down Sefira. Don’t mess with a woman scorned!
At Home in the House of the Devil closes the anthology in some style and they say every man meets the Devil once before he dies. This is the story of a young man who strays away from his Christian upbringing whilst studying at university and after finding a new girlfriend, Sonya, tries heroin for the first time with her. She likes it way too much and spirals into addiction, whilst the Devil lurks around the corner, with this story deals with guilt as much as betrayal. The Devil, indeed, can manifest himself in many ways and lapsed Christians are easy pickings for Old Nick.
When you read single author anthologies the reader can pick up stylistic similarities which would probably go unnoticed if they were read episodically in their original magazine source. In Paris, in the Mouth of Kronos and The Third Always Beside You were two of the most obvious examples. In the former a dodgy couple, possibly agents, are hired to track down a target, not realising they are pawns in a bigger game, and in the latter two adult siblings realise there is a third person in their parent’s marriage which nobody ever speaks about, but whose presence is always felt. Although the plots are completely different, the supernatural reveal in the final both stories was done in a very similar fashion and with no major surprises. Bloom was one of my favourites, a couple find a cooler on side of the road whilst driving home and are unsure what to do with it, or what might be inside it? It was a quirky read and I enjoyed the journey and the direction the story took.
The three other inclusions did not make a huge impression. However, it was nice to read a story set in my homeland of Scotland in Renfrew’s Course, and The Unbearable Proximity of Mr. Dunn’s Balloons was in its own way quite striking and Bor Urus features weird reality bending storms and a man with complex personal problems. None of the three truly grabbed me though.
Recently I’ve read and reviewed a number of single anthologies and in comparison to Alexander Zelenyj and JR Hamantaschen “Sefira and Other Betrayals” was solid but unspectacular. It’s undoubtedly personal taste, I like to be shocked, surprised, disgusted and left shaking my head at bizarre or unfathomable endings. I enjoy being forced to reread an ending asking myself “what the f-happened there?” I also love starting a new short story, the completely unpredictable Zelenyj or Hamantaschen are good examples, in the knowledge that I have no idea where it is going to take me and even if they write a few misfires it’s a risk worth taking. On the other hand, this John Langan collection was a very safe and solid anthology which I’m sure his many admirers will enjoy, as it’s more of the same.
November 4, 2019
I liked a lot the novella of this volume, Sefira, and some two other stories, but the rest weren`t so great, so, overall, it felt like a three stars volume....
March 18, 2020
Finally finished it! As hinted at by the title of the collection, the stories within all orbited around a betrayal of one sort or another. In the hands of a more cliche-prone writer, I could see myself hating something like that. But John Langan? I'd read his accounts of reading instructions on how to boil an egg, confident he'd make it interesting reading. As usual, he wrote some fantastic weird and/or literary fiction here. I'd read one of the stories before (Bor Urus, in I believe Year's Best Weird Fiction Volume 1 from Undertow) but the others were all new to me. I will continue to devour everything Langan releases!
May 9, 2019
John Langan’s newest collection, Sefira & Other Betrayals (published by Hippocampus Press) intertwines literary fiction with mythological gods and demonic deities, with a dabble of weird, providing readers with a fantastic collection.
Sefira & Other Betrayals is Langan’s third book released in the last six years, following his critically acclaimed and well received novel, The Fisherman in 2016, and his previously published collection The Wide, Carnivorous Sky (also well loved and received) in 2013.
The stories vary from literary horror involving demonic deities, like a succubus (“Sefira”), the Devil (“At Home in the House of the Devil”), and a vampire of a different type (“The Third Always Behind You”), to weird things that you wouldn’t expect to be terrifying, like balloons (“The Unbearable Proximity of Mr. Dunn’s Balloons”), and something similar to that of the shape of a jellyfish (“Bloom”), to the old gods, like Kronos, the father of the thunder and sky god, Zeus (“In Paris, in the Mouth of Kronos”).
Sorry, I’m rambling… There’s just so many things in this book that I could praise and go on about. It’s that good. So, I’ll wrap it up.
All the stories in Sefira are wonderful, digging deep into the characters and revealing the different layers that betrayal can be, in different times and settings. However, my personal favorite of this collection is “The Unbearable Proximity of Mr. Dunn’s Balloons,” the story that made me wonder the most where Langan was going with the story until the end, in which everything tied together to give a satisfying, albeit bittersweet, ending.
I highly recommend you purchase it, especially if you’re already a fan of Langan’s work.
Sefira & Other Betrayals is Langan’s third book released in the last six years, following his critically acclaimed and well received novel, The Fisherman in 2016, and his previously published collection The Wide, Carnivorous Sky (also well loved and received) in 2013.
The stories vary from literary horror involving demonic deities, like a succubus (“Sefira”), the Devil (“At Home in the House of the Devil”), and a vampire of a different type (“The Third Always Behind You”), to weird things that you wouldn’t expect to be terrifying, like balloons (“The Unbearable Proximity of Mr. Dunn’s Balloons”), and something similar to that of the shape of a jellyfish (“Bloom”), to the old gods, like Kronos, the father of the thunder and sky god, Zeus (“In Paris, in the Mouth of Kronos”).
Sorry, I’m rambling… There’s just so many things in this book that I could praise and go on about. It’s that good. So, I’ll wrap it up.
All the stories in Sefira are wonderful, digging deep into the characters and revealing the different layers that betrayal can be, in different times and settings. However, my personal favorite of this collection is “The Unbearable Proximity of Mr. Dunn’s Balloons,” the story that made me wonder the most where Langan was going with the story until the end, in which everything tied together to give a satisfying, albeit bittersweet, ending.
I highly recommend you purchase it, especially if you’re already a fan of Langan’s work.
June 9, 2019
This is for readers who prefer their short fiction a bit on the longer side, as this hefty volume contains a novella and a stack of novelettes, with only one story coming in under 7500 words. “Sefira” is the eponymous novella and does a tense exploration of body horror and betrayal. “In Paris, In the Mouth of Kronos” is a moody piece that wrestles with “enhanced interrogation techniques” and captures a moment in amber that society would prefer forgotten.
“Bor Urus” was my favorite of the collection. In the story notes at the end, Langan says, “By placing my narrator’s emotional dalliance with his ex after his first encounters with the supernatural, I wanted to try for something different than what I usually might have done. Specifically, instead of having the supernatural event happen after the real world occurrence, thus allowing and even encouraging the supernatural to be read as a trope for the mundane, I wanted to reverse that order in the interest of presenting the mundane as a trope for the supernatural.” I think this is the crux of my challenges with this collection. Far too many were flipped the other way, and the supernatural felt like a metaphor. Excellent craft, but metaphors don’t deliver unease and dread. For example, “The Third Always Beside You” feels akin to a magical realism story that wrestles with how infidelity haunts a relationship. I would have preferred the supernatural woven a bit more strongly throughout to maintain tension. The girl’s lunch out is an excellent character study, but bleeds out the dread.
“Bor Urus” was my favorite of the collection. In the story notes at the end, Langan says, “By placing my narrator’s emotional dalliance with his ex after his first encounters with the supernatural, I wanted to try for something different than what I usually might have done. Specifically, instead of having the supernatural event happen after the real world occurrence, thus allowing and even encouraging the supernatural to be read as a trope for the mundane, I wanted to reverse that order in the interest of presenting the mundane as a trope for the supernatural.” I think this is the crux of my challenges with this collection. Far too many were flipped the other way, and the supernatural felt like a metaphor. Excellent craft, but metaphors don’t deliver unease and dread. For example, “The Third Always Beside You” feels akin to a magical realism story that wrestles with how infidelity haunts a relationship. I would have preferred the supernatural woven a bit more strongly throughout to maintain tension. The girl’s lunch out is an excellent character study, but bleeds out the dread.
January 24, 2023
Une collection d’histoires finalement assez décevantes, à part les deux plus longues nouvelles - Sefira et At Home in the House of the Devil - qui sauvent le livre.
August 2, 2021
9 Wow, what to say about this fenomenal collection of horror and weird fiction by John Langan, who has fast become my favorite author in the darker corners of the genre.
It opens with a short novel (132 pages), titled 'Sefira'. I was amazed at the structure Langan uses to tell his story, coming back to the same few days, all the times from a different perspective, interspersed with what happened before, revelations adding up to create a huge cosmology, while the story remained quite intimate and humane. A woman is betrayed by her husband with someone called Sefira. She turns out to be a succubus and to save her husband from a horrible fate she will have to pursue Sefira to her hive. On the way she finds herself transforming ... All aspects just fit. The body horror of the transformation (especially the teeth ... brr), the zombie like antagonists, the marital strife and the ending. A masterpiece of story telling.
This is followed by seven more tales - all about betrayal in one form or another (some told by the betrayed, some by the betrayer. Sometimes it's workplace betrayal to get oneself promoted, sometimes it's betraying the patients trust and sometimes it's leaving someone in need, after just promising not doing that ever). This does not mean they are all the same. There's a plethora of different settings and situations here. From the 19th century in 'The Unbearable Proximity of Mr. Dunn's Balloons' to a hotel in Paris in 'In Paris, In the Mouth of Kronos'. There are giants here and lovecraftian threats (as in 'Bloom') and even the devil himself.
In contrast with other writers Langan does not constrain himself to only suggesting the supernatural elements or striving for 'ambiguity' ('It was all in their imagination'). He takes his monsters seriously. At the same time, these are stories about people and their weaknesses and folly's and Langan describes them with a lot of empathy, pulling the reader in their lives, their thoughts, their loves. He makes you feel a constant dread, not by pulling the rug from under you, but because you fear for the protagonists and what they will do to themselves (or have done to them). It's because of his love and respect for his own characters I think that Langan most often doesn't use the 'twist ending'. In an interview Langan spoke about his frustration with what he calls “trap stories.” The interviewer wrote: "Langan’s humanistic approach to fiction prevents him from writing something that ends on a “gotcha!” note — one could say that he cares too much about his characters to give them such a fate."
This would be the one criticism I have on these stories. I thought some of the endings were not very memorable. They didn't really shock or surprise and it wasn't the story's resolution that stayed in my mind, but the characters and their situation. I myself like the 'twist ending' a lot (still), but that may be because of my love for sciencefiction - as SF short stories are (like detective stories) defined by their twist endings. So for me this led to me feeling unsatisfied.
But the lack of the frisson of a desert its a small matter compared to the richness of the main dish, the rich, bloody meat, the filling sides. And Langan is just such a good writer. Not because he is that fancy with big words, but he uses his words masterfully. He conjures up the atmosphere with his rich descriptions and conveys the whole scala of feelings you need to experience. I wish I could write like that.
All in all, if you like horror fiction with a literary bend (not blood and gore, but atmosphere and dread), you will love this short story collection. I will await the next collection of stories by John Langan with baited breath ...
It opens with a short novel (132 pages), titled 'Sefira'. I was amazed at the structure Langan uses to tell his story, coming back to the same few days, all the times from a different perspective, interspersed with what happened before, revelations adding up to create a huge cosmology, while the story remained quite intimate and humane. A woman is betrayed by her husband with someone called Sefira. She turns out to be a succubus and to save her husband from a horrible fate she will have to pursue Sefira to her hive. On the way she finds herself transforming ... All aspects just fit. The body horror of the transformation (especially the teeth ... brr), the zombie like antagonists, the marital strife and the ending. A masterpiece of story telling.
This is followed by seven more tales - all about betrayal in one form or another (some told by the betrayed, some by the betrayer. Sometimes it's workplace betrayal to get oneself promoted, sometimes it's betraying the patients trust and sometimes it's leaving someone in need, after just promising not doing that ever). This does not mean they are all the same. There's a plethora of different settings and situations here. From the 19th century in 'The Unbearable Proximity of Mr. Dunn's Balloons' to a hotel in Paris in 'In Paris, In the Mouth of Kronos'. There are giants here and lovecraftian threats (as in 'Bloom') and even the devil himself.
In contrast with other writers Langan does not constrain himself to only suggesting the supernatural elements or striving for 'ambiguity' ('It was all in their imagination'). He takes his monsters seriously. At the same time, these are stories about people and their weaknesses and folly's and Langan describes them with a lot of empathy, pulling the reader in their lives, their thoughts, their loves. He makes you feel a constant dread, not by pulling the rug from under you, but because you fear for the protagonists and what they will do to themselves (or have done to them). It's because of his love and respect for his own characters I think that Langan most often doesn't use the 'twist ending'. In an interview Langan spoke about his frustration with what he calls “trap stories.” The interviewer wrote: "Langan’s humanistic approach to fiction prevents him from writing something that ends on a “gotcha!” note — one could say that he cares too much about his characters to give them such a fate."
This would be the one criticism I have on these stories. I thought some of the endings were not very memorable. They didn't really shock or surprise and it wasn't the story's resolution that stayed in my mind, but the characters and their situation. I myself like the 'twist ending' a lot (still), but that may be because of my love for sciencefiction - as SF short stories are (like detective stories) defined by their twist endings. So for me this led to me feeling unsatisfied.
But the lack of the frisson of a desert its a small matter compared to the richness of the main dish, the rich, bloody meat, the filling sides. And Langan is just such a good writer. Not because he is that fancy with big words, but he uses his words masterfully. He conjures up the atmosphere with his rich descriptions and conveys the whole scala of feelings you need to experience. I wish I could write like that.
All in all, if you like horror fiction with a literary bend (not blood and gore, but atmosphere and dread), you will love this short story collection. I will await the next collection of stories by John Langan with baited breath ...
February 25, 2020
3.5. This began really strong though sometimes I found the writing a little convoluted. The first story, a novella really, about a wronged woman chasing down a succubus was very good, although the writing a little hard to follow. But once I got used to the writing style the story was a real page-turner. That can’t be said for all of the stories though. Perhaps, it’s the short story format that I struggle with ( which is totally on me and not the author) but ultimately this was just ok for me. Which isn’t a bad thing actually. I think I’ve gotten quite spoiled with expecting all my reads to be at least a four star read. I have his The Wide Carnivorous Sky and The Fisherman to read which I’ve read good things about and though this wasn’t my favourite read the writing and imaginative story telling of Sephira will have me cracking it open at some point.
June 12, 2019
Another great collection of stories from Langan, though not his best.
The title story is one of his best of all time (no mean feat), and "Bloom" is one of the best Lovecraft riffs in ages, but most of the others, while great reads, don't stick around for very long. The concepts are solid and the prose is gorgeous, but there isn't the same oomph here as in The Wide, Carnivorous Sky and Other Monstrous Geographies, nor the same experimental spirit.
Still, if you want a good look at modern horror, Langan is always a safe bet, esp. in short form. A solid recc to my fellow horror devotees.
The title story is one of his best of all time (no mean feat), and "Bloom" is one of the best Lovecraft riffs in ages, but most of the others, while great reads, don't stick around for very long. The concepts are solid and the prose is gorgeous, but there isn't the same oomph here as in The Wide, Carnivorous Sky and Other Monstrous Geographies, nor the same experimental spirit.
Still, if you want a good look at modern horror, Langan is always a safe bet, esp. in short form. A solid recc to my fellow horror devotees.
October 14, 2019
Although I’m confused why there is a repeated story from a previous collection, Sefira holds up as another fine example of Langan’s macabre literary stylings. He may be the best horror writer currently writing (with Laird Barron, and I’m not sure Ligotti is writing anymore). He can imitate the style of Henry James (Mr. Dunn’s Baloons) and put a fantastic spin on it or delve into grotesque succubis (the title novella). The final ‘novelette’ (they are all long stories with ample development) “At Home in the Devil’s House” puts a psychological horror spin onto the devil mythos. The denouement isn’t quite worth the buildup, but it’s fascinating all the same.
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